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The San Diego Foundation

This submission reflects this organization's contribution to the climate effort, representative of their current actions and commitments as well as the ways in which they intend to step up and collaborate with others.

The San Diego Foundation's Climate Action Contribution

About The San Diego Foundation's Climate Efforts

The San Diego Foundation believes that our region is a special place of natural beauty and ideal weather, and that future generations should enjoy the same quality of life, healthy environment and vibrant economy that we do today.

Through the support of our donors and other local, regional and national funding partners, The San Diego Foundation Climate Program works to:

Since 2006, The San Diego Foundation has invested more than $3.5 million in: the creation of cross-sector partnerships; assessment of regional vulnerabilities and priorities to address climate change, and increased public understanding of local impacts of climate change with policy makers, scientific experts, businesses and other community leaders.

The San Diego Foundation and its partners have demonstrated leadership with action that is positively impacting our community, including:
- Publishing and supporting 18 climate change research studies to help inform local decision-makers about what is at stake from the impacts of climate change if current trends continue.
- Supporting 24 local government technical assistance projects, helping to result in 17 of 18 local cities developing or adopting a climate action plan.
- Supporting 20+ nonprofit and community-based partners working to advocate for cleaner transportation options and communities more resilient to coastal flooding, increasingly intense or frequent drought and wildfire.
- Building cross-sector collaboration to meet shared challenges, including co-founding two influential collaboratives: Climate Education Partners and the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative.

Natural Lands

Utility Sector

Supporting states, cities, and utilities in decarbonizing their energy supply

Other collaborations

In addition to engaging over 50 partners to advance collaborative solutions that address the impacts from a changing climate, The San Diego Foundation co-founded two influential, San Diego-based collaboratives:

- Climate Education Partners: a collaboration of 6 well-respected organizations funded by the National Science Foundation working to grow a science-based understanding of our changing climate among regional leaders. With a solid scientific foundation, our leaders can make informed decisions on how to better protect the natural beauty, economic vibrancy and preserve the quality of life in San Diego, not just for today, but for all future generations.

- San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative: a network of 28+ local governments and public agencies serving the San Diego region to share expertise, leverage resources, and advance comprehensive solutions to facilitate climate change planning. By partnering with academia, non-profits, and businesses, we also work to raise the profile of regional leadership.

Organization details

Mission
The San Diego Foundation improves the quality of life in all of our communities by providing leadership for effective philanthropy that builds enduring assets and by promoting community solutions through research, convenings and actions that advance the common good.

Values
As a community foundation, we value:
Stewardship – We hold The San Diego Foundation in the public trust, maintaining the highest standards of integrity in donor relations, community service, institutional governance, and fiscal management.

Community – We value The Foundation’s unique capacity to provide an inclusive forum for civic engagement that promotes responsible and impactful philanthropy and collective community action informed by shared values and diverse beliefs.

Collaboration – We partner with volunteers, community leaders, and civic and nonprofit organizations to provide high-impact programs, services and knowledge that benefit the broadest possible constituency.

Inclusion & Equity – We respect and value the contributions and experiences of all members of our community in the work that we do.

Service – We engage in action that promotes the common good. We commit ourselves to fully embrace that calling for as long as the need exists.

Legacy – We honor the contributions of those who have worked tirelessly in the past to ensure the well-being of the San Diego region, and pledge to support those who will carry on that legacy.